Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

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BeyondBlue Hi! Check out this post if you're not sure how to start
  • replies: 0

Hi there and welcome to the Anxiety section of the Forums First of all, thank you so much for joining us here. We think it’s amazing that you’ve taken this step to getting support and learning from this Community. You are very welcome here and we are... View more

Hi there and welcome to the Anxiety section of the Forums First of all, thank you so much for joining us here. We think it’s amazing that you’ve taken this step to getting support and learning from this Community. You are very welcome here and we are really interested in what you might want to add to these conversations. We get it, having anxiety makes it hard to share in a public place. Remember, this is anonymous and the Beyond Blue team are here to help if you need it This section is for people who are experiencing anxiety in some form in their lives. This might be in social settings, at work, or just in the day to day. You don’t need a diagnosis to post here. If it feels like the right spot for your post, go right ahead! We know that feeling anxious can make it hard to reach out so we want you to know that getting this far is amazing and a great start. A few tips for getting the most out of this section: Get involved when you can! Posting and replying is the heartbeat of this community and you DO have something worthwhile to share (when you’re ready ) Every experience is different. There is no competition here. We know how challenging anxiety can be and how it comes in all shapes and sizes. What you are experiencing will be respected and supported here. Trust yourself! You are the expert in your experience. This community works because people like you share what has worked for you. Thank you for getting involved and taking a look. We can’t wait to hear from you! Beyond Blue

All discussions

KTOCD OCD Compulsions? Tics? Habits?
  • replies: 11

Hi All, I have suffered from OCD for some time now and generally manage well. I have recently reduced my medication and my repetitive behaviours are coming back. I am finding that not all of my compulsions are related to obsessions and I find myself ... View more

Hi All, I have suffered from OCD for some time now and generally manage well. I have recently reduced my medication and my repetitive behaviours are coming back. I am finding that not all of my compulsions are related to obsessions and I find myself engaging in these repetitive behaviours unconsciously. I have sought out some info on tics, however these seem to be involuntary. I don't know if my behaviours are involuntary. I certainly don't need to think about doing them...they just start themselves. I'm thinking they could just be a habit. I occasionally experienced a head jerk that I need to do and feel it coming on. It generally doesn't keep happening though. Only every now and then. My speech has been slightly off occasionally too - words coming out wrong mainly...not pronounced properly. Has anyone had any experience with this? I have tried to do a bit of research on it but can't find much out there. Thanks KT

TDonuts Seeking Advice On My Situation
  • replies: 2

Hey everyone, First time posting, thought i'd try this as other methods of supporting haven't been working. I have been working through my anxiety and depression for a year now and I feel like things haven't got better I'm just more aware of how I fe... View more

Hey everyone, First time posting, thought i'd try this as other methods of supporting haven't been working. I have been working through my anxiety and depression for a year now and I feel like things haven't got better I'm just more aware of how I feel. The crux of the issue is that I find it really hard to motivate myself, as situations seem so impossible to succeed. I separated from my partner of 3 years due to how unmotivated I was in life. I left my "perfect" job for the same reasons. Back at my Parents house whilst looking for a new house, and feeling the weight of my whole year of failures really squashing me. My question to all of you is, how to get up and get it all done? I can pin point all my life's issues, but how no energy to push myself to address them - instead I just find the easy way out to avoid feeling pressure. I am on anti-depressants but feel that theres more to the solution than a pill. Let me know your motivation techniques and any advice you have. I need all that I can get! Thanks!

Jimbo86 Morning anxiety
  • replies: 11

Does anyone have any help full tips for morning anxiety what subsides after acouple of hours

Does anyone have any help full tips for morning anxiety what subsides after acouple of hours

mcm97 No support in the workplace
  • replies: 9

Hi, this is my first time using Beyond Blue but something happened yesterday at work that I am not not okay with and feel the need to share. I have really bad anxiety and depression and only in the last 6months have ben put on medication to help, whi... View more

Hi, this is my first time using Beyond Blue but something happened yesterday at work that I am not not okay with and feel the need to share. I have really bad anxiety and depression and only in the last 6months have ben put on medication to help, which it has but I still have panic attacks and bad days. I work for a big organisation in a call centre so obviously taking calls can be quite challenging at times. Some days ill be fine and my shift will go by like a breeze with no issues. Other days I cannot even speak, i cant even greet the customers. The lights start messing with my head, my jaw starts clenching and shaking and i need to leave. My workplace claims they have endless support to help anyone facing mental illness, yet I have no assistance there. Most of the team leaders know about my mental illness. they often ask how I am but thats all. Yesterday I got told by a team leader that if i can only handle to take a limited range of calls that I will not be of value to the company. That same team leader last week told me I would be better off finding a new job in the new year. Firstly he is in no position to say that to me, secondly I am very fragile and those things set me off. I left work and dont want to return. Being told that I am of "no value" kills me. I have been put on a very high dose on antidepressants just to be okay then i have to deal with this at work. I have been offered no help or alternative options to help whilst my anxiety flares up. Today I am going to speak to the manager to report this. I no longer want to be at a workplace like this if they dont accommodate to people with mental illness. Mental illness is not something we can choose not to have. I am seeking help and I am doing my best to be myself again.

Butterfly82 First time posting and sharing about how I feel
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone, I am new to beyond blue therefore please bare with me regarding my post. Currently I am feeling very overwhelmed with my anxiety issues as I recently changed jobs and struggling to adapt to the routine change as well as the none contact ... View more

Hi everyone, I am new to beyond blue therefore please bare with me regarding my post. Currently I am feeling very overwhelmed with my anxiety issues as I recently changed jobs and struggling to adapt to the routine change as well as the none contact with people and basically sitting in a corner by myself. I have always suffered with anxiety and depression. It seems to come and go but is always there deep down but of late and since starting my new job it has been horrendous. I don't want to go to work, I cry every day, I shake, I go dizzy and quite often cannot calm myself down but for some reason I am able to hide it from my colleagues when I do attend and I do not want to discuss these kind of things with them. Am I supposed to tell my new boss I have this anxiety? Am I meant to say this job sucks and isn't for me? I am still on probation for another month and I do not know what to do. Besides this I have the ongoing financial concerns if I was to give up my job to pursue a new career because finally I know what I want to be when I grow up (I am 35 geez) I would be worse off financially and not have enough income to cover all outgoings, its the main reason I stay in these kind of roles, for the financial gain but I am well and truly miserable. I have a drs appointment this evening as a follow up regarding current health plan, I am not looking forward to telling them how much worse things have gotten. I'm sorry if this is a jumble of different thoughts but I am the same when I am having conversations...whatever I think I speak! Thank you for allowing me to offload, any thoughts and opinions are welcome as I feel like I am between a rock and a hard place.

anon234 Help with health anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hello, I'm new here and just thought this might be good for some support sometimes. Ive dealt with anxiety especially for as long as I can remember. I have GAD, health anxiety, ocd, phobias... and it's become extremely difficult to handle. The worst ... View more

Hello, I'm new here and just thought this might be good for some support sometimes. Ive dealt with anxiety especially for as long as I can remember. I have GAD, health anxiety, ocd, phobias... and it's become extremely difficult to handle. The worst is the health anxiety, and I've been struggling to get to school and catch buses especially. I'm always thinking about what is potentially on furniture and in the air (in terms of getting sick) and have a fear of food poisoning. I keep thinking I'm falling sick, and as someone who already has OCD tendencies I'm worrying about behaviors I've started noticing (like checking my temperature hourly for a fever and refusing to touch food or furniture for example). It has become incredibly difficult to leave the house, and I have panic attacks as well. I've just been finding it difficult to eat and sleep and dealing with constant fear of panicking or becoming sick is exhausting. I was wondering if anyone has some techniques or thoughts that can calm them down? I started therapy earlier in the year, but it seems the problem just keeps morphing. Any response is appreciated

123bex You know i can't see through the haze around me
  • replies: 1

I have been suffering from PTSD for 2 year now and each day i still find i am fighting with anxiety and its encroaching thoughts even on medication. Has anyone found any usfull tools to fight back? yours in strength! Bec.

I have been suffering from PTSD for 2 year now and each day i still find i am fighting with anxiety and its encroaching thoughts even on medication. Has anyone found any usfull tools to fight back? yours in strength! Bec.

RonnieA Anxiety with driving!
  • replies: 1

I've suffered with anxiety & panic attacks for 12 years now. 4 of which the doctor had no idea what was wrong with me!! I really want to deal with it all as I have 3 kids (11, 6 & 4 weeks) & I can't take them out anywhere without a trusted support pe... View more

I've suffered with anxiety & panic attacks for 12 years now. 4 of which the doctor had no idea what was wrong with me!! I really want to deal with it all as I have 3 kids (11, 6 & 4 weeks) & I can't take them out anywhere without a trusted support person. I can normally drive in my own town ok, but have major freak outs if I defer from my normal routine or leave the town at all by myself. I want to get help, but I have to rely on other people to take me. I feel like a real burden & I'm terrified of the exposure treatment!! Any tips??

ElliotCleverland Intrusive Anxiety over Literally Nothing
  • replies: 5

Hi all I've always imagined scenarios that have a 0.05% chance of actually occurring, and then I have anxiety over the potential consequences. It's crazy. It happened during my early teens (up to 14). I was petrified of drugs (note, nobody in my fami... View more

Hi all I've always imagined scenarios that have a 0.05% chance of actually occurring, and then I have anxiety over the potential consequences. It's crazy. It happened during my early teens (up to 14). I was petrified of drugs (note, nobody in my family has had drug issues - was an odd, but good fear to have I guess). If I went into a public bathroom and saw a sharpie bin or what looked like powder, I would be worried that it would somehow effect me, as if some fake powder somehow flew up inside my nose. I would literally google "(insert drug name) symptoms of use" and look out for symptoms, in case I somehow digested it (looking back, I see how silly this is). Oh and of course, because I was reading the symptoms, my body tricked myself into thinking I was experiencing them. Fast forward to now, where I'm twenty. Typical stuff really... I became acquaintances with some colourful people. Nobody properly dangerous, but moved in questionable circles. Through third degree connections, mutual mates who they had - some pretty 'unlikable' members of society came to knowledge. I was privy to lots of information, things not of a legal nature. Since then, I believe I have fallen out with these people. It was a huge misunderstanding, but they're ignoring my messages and I feel like they're mad. They've told me stuff that I'm not comfortable knowing, stuff which I would hate to be questioned for leaking (not that I have, but if something happened...) and it taught me lessons about who to and who not to associate with. I trusted these people with lots, and the whole hostility makes me uncomfortable. So much so, that I don't go out at night anymore. I don't go to the gym, I'm almost becoming a recluse. Nothing has actually happened to warrant this. No threats, no signs or anything. Just me thinking "what if (person) told (person) what I thought about (person).. Oh no, that could be very dangerous. They're violent, they're this they're that blah blah..." In reality, these people don't even think about me anymore and the 'falling out' was over six months ago. It's just their nature (more so, the nature of their associates) which makes me extremely anxious. I've spoken to some mates, in full detail and they say that nothing has happened to make me worry. They're right, I know it but can't let it settle... I can't remember how I got over the whole drug thing, but I NEED to get over this. It leaves me trembling with intrusive thoughts. Thanks in advanced!

lelebe Anxiety flare up
  • replies: 54

Hi, About 5 years ago i had my first panic attacks i seeked therapy and slowly improved but i could never shake my phobias. Recently my family has had a couple of stressful months and the anxiety has flared back up again. I know anxiety is so individ... View more

Hi, About 5 years ago i had my first panic attacks i seeked therapy and slowly improved but i could never shake my phobias. Recently my family has had a couple of stressful months and the anxiety has flared back up again. I know anxiety is so individual but has anyone with panic disorder found relief from anti depressants? Or is there any other therapy anyone has found useful?